This year's West Middlesex Sunday Football League will be as wide open as ever.

That was the opinion of West Mid veteran Spencer Cox as the league got underway with its first round of fixtures on Sunday.

It has already expanded from four divisions to six, with a Third and a Veterans' Division being added to the existing ones.

And the quality has improved too, with two of the Chiswick & District League's strongest sides - Chiswick Albion and Chiswick Griffin - moving over.

Albion will be able to renew their rivalry with Bedfont Sunday, who made the same move a year ago.

Cox said: "There are so many teams who could win it, the Premier Division is the strongest it's been for 15 years. Everybody can beat everybody else.

"The two Chiswicks which have come in are both really strong sides, and you can never count out Bedfont Sunday as they have a really good setup under Adam Bamford.

"Then there are Acton and Draytonians, who will both be up there. It's not like a few years ago, when just Domine Athletic and Beavers dominated.

"Even Hampton Village and Stanwell, who struggled in the league last year, both won cups, which shows just how strong it is.

"Two West Middlesex teams, Sunbury Athletic and Bedfont Sunday, also contested last year's County Cup Final and will both take part in the FA Sunday Cup.

"Further down the divisions, Feltham United and CB Hounslow United Sunday are good sides."

Cox, 34, who played for Twickenham Rangers for years, will this season be player-manager of Hampton Village Thirds, where he reckons Elliott Atiase is a good prospect.

Others he tipped as players to look out for are the former Bedfont FC trio of Adam and Luke Willis and Dave Harding at Barnes Albion, Sunbury Athletic keeper Clark Gooding, Draytonians duo Barry Dunne and Wayne Carter, and Bedfont Sunday's Mark Clark and Mark Smith.

LOSING two teams to the West Middlesex Sunday League has not necessarily weakened the Chiswick & District Sunday League.

In fact, the league has a fresh look about it, having streamlined from five divisions to four and welcomed in a few new teams.

And one player who will be taking a particular interest is the Chronicle's own Jacob Murtagh, who plays for Brentford supporters' side Beesotted in the Intermediate Division.

Forget the departed Chiswick Albion and Chiswick Griffin - he reckons Chiswick Wanderers will be a team to watch.

Murtagh said: "They have jumped up two divisions and were the only team to give us a drubbing last season. "They also beat a team from the Premier 8-2 in the cup last season, but will still be an unknown quantity in the top flight and could surprise a few people.

"But with Chiswick Albion gone, it'll be a far more open league this year and it'll be up for grabs.

"You can never discount Hanworth Villa Sunday either. They have four teams in the league and each one is strong.

"Armenian Youth Association are also up and coming, while Real Madras, who have become AFC Real, will be looking to push on from winning Division Three."